84 replies to this topic

[Willsy]

Who's going to the faire?

I've just booked my flights and hotel!

[unhuman]

New job is gonna keep me away. Maybe next year.

[acadiel]

Perhaps a sticky with the date, time, etc, is in order in the forum?

[sometimes99er]

acadiel, on Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:08 PM, said:

Perhaps a sticky with the date, time, etc, is in order in the forum?

It's already in the sticky Upcoming TI-99/4A events and projects.

[JonnyBritish]

I should be there complete with 3 TurboForth carts requiring 1.1 upgrades :-)

[OLD CS1]

I am trying. Money and familial issues are the wild card right now. I have wanted to go to a Faire or AmiWest for a loooong time, but something always keeps me away. I would love to attend this year and pick up some stuff (TF cart, other odds-n-ends) and get to put some faces to names.

[Willsy]

I know exactly what you mean! Luckily, my other half has almost pushed me into it. I don't smoke, I don't drink etc, so her view is "why not?! Go for it!"

It will be nice to shake people by the hand and put faces and names together!

[Ksarul]

I plan to try and be there as well--assuming my other half doesn't throw a monkey wrench into it at the last minute. . .a very real possibility, knowing her.

[unhuman]

Willsy, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:59 AM, said:

I know exactly what you mean! Luckily, my other half has almost pushed me into it. I don't smoke, I don't drink etc, so her view is "why not?! Go for it!"

I guess she's okay with all the whoring?

[Willsy]

unhuman, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:58 AM, said:

Willsy, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:59 AM, said:

I know exactly what you mean! Luckily, my other half has almost pushed me into it. I don't smoke, I don't drink etc, so her view is "why not?! Go for it!"

I guess she's okay with all the whoring?

Oh dear. Looks like I'll need to bring some extra ca$h

[Lee Stewart]

I may be there---along with my other half.

...lee

[Vorticon]

I'll be there and staying at the Best Western. Looking forward to seeing you all

[Tempest]

I'd be going if I wasn't out of town again this year. Why does this always have to fall on/around my anniversary?

Tempest

[Willsy]

Vorticon, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:17 AM, said:

I'll be there and staying at the Best Western. Looking forward to seeing you all

I'm also at the Best Western - The Best Western University Plaza - I think it's a block or two from the Library...?

[Vorticon]

Willsy, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:07 PM, said:

Vorticon, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:17 AM, said:

I'll be there and staying at the Best Western. Looking forward to seeing you all

I'm also at the Best Western - The Best Western University Plaza - I think it's a block or two from the Library...?

Depends how much beer you have in you . 2 blocks is about right.

[matthew180]

Hmm, I decided some months ago that I would be skipping the Faire this year. I'm still not sure, kind on the fence right the moment. Does anyone have any interest in trying to "do something" Friday afternoon / evening, other than sitting around drinking? Personally I'd rather talk about hardware, hack on some software, discuss ideas, etc. Also, something similar on Saturday after the "main event" at the library (they kick us out at like 4 or 5pm.) Again, I'm not much interested in sitting around "socializing" and drinking. I'd rather retreat to a room full of gear, talk shop, learn, teach, hack code, etc.

The Best Western is pretty much the alternative "affordable" hotel, so maybe we could get a small conference room to use? Or maybe they have large suites? Thoughts?

[Willsy]

I'd be completely up for that. I don't think I'll be able to make the 2012 Faire, so it would be nice to meet you in person if you can make it...!

A hack fest is right up my street. I *might* nip out for a drink in the evening - I'm not a drinker at all, but this will be first time in the USA so it would be kind of dumb to go Chicago and only see the inside of a library conference room!

However, I stress I'm not really a drinker. I'd be happy to sit in a corner somewhere with a beer, the ED/AS quick reference card and a notebook and just hack that shit right up! I reckon Bob C would be up for it too!

I personally would be very interested to talk to you about programmable logic - in particular implementing simple processors in programmable logic... You can probably guess where I'm going with that...!

[Vorticon]

matthew180, on Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:19 PM, said:

Hmm, I decided some months ago that I would be skipping the Faire this year. I'm still not sure, kind on the fence right the moment. Does anyone have any interest in trying to "do something" Friday afternoon / evening, other than sitting around drinking? Personally I'd rather talk about hardware, hack on some software, discuss ideas, etc. Also, something similar on Saturday after the "main event" at the library (they kick us out at like 4 or 5pm.) Again, I'm not much interested in sitting around "socializing" and drinking. I'd rather retreat to a room full of gear, talk shop, learn, teach, hack code, etc.

The Best Western is pretty much the alternative "affordable" hotel, so maybe we could get a small conference room to use? Or maybe they have large suites? Thoughts?

Come on Matt! You have to come! The Friday night get together is really a re-acquaintance with fellow TIers who haven't seen each other for at least a year, and having a beer or too during that time is fine but certainly not the purpose of the gathering. I would definitely be up to joining you and other hackers later on (like last year) to discuss tech topics. I'll even bring along my little ELF computer for show and tell as well as my CP/M card. If you guys are up to it, I can also bring a wargame to play.
As for Sat night, well, the pub crawl is a crazy but beloved tradition, but one does not need to get drunk to still have fun. Besides, we can still have all sorts of interesting discussions during that time.
I'll be happy to share the cost of a small conference room for Friday if you want to research it. Who else is interested in this other than you, Willsy and myself?

[Willsy]

I'm trying to twist Tursi's arm too and drag him to Chicago! I suggest a multi-pronged pincer movement - if we all gang up on him, he'll have no choice but to come!

[matthew180]

Cool. I'm down for a hack fest!

First time in the U.S.?? Heh, well, you will be about a 45-minute drive (hauling ass) from downtown Chicago... The Faire is in Evanston, which is a suburb North of Chicago.

I put in for the day off on the 4th, so once I get the "all clear" I'll reserve a room in the Best Western and plan to be there by early afternoon. Hopefully people will be arriving on Friday?

[sometimes99er]

Wish I could go just like that, in and out, just to meet you guys and have a chitchat. But making such a long trip, I would want more - TI and otherwise. Well guys, have a good time and enjoy yourself.

[idflyfish]

sometimes99er, on Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:14 AM, said:

Wish I could go just like that, in and out, just to meet you guys and have a chitchat. But making such a long trip, I would want more - TI and otherwise. Well guys, have a good time and enjoy yourself.

I'm sure there are some "ladies of the night" available if that is what you mean by "something more"

[sometimes99er]

idflyfish, on Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:33 AM, said:

sometimes99er, on Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:14 AM, said:

Wish I could go just like that, in and out, just to meet you guys and have a chitchat. But making such a long trip, I would want more - TI and otherwise. Well guys, have a good time and enjoy yourself.

I'm sure there are some "ladies of the night" available if that is what you mean by "something more"

Hehe, no, not really. I was thinking more about some sightseeing in general (on my own, with family or with some TI friends). But also much more TI arranged stuff, like code corners, concurrent presentation sessions to choose from, time for questions/evaluation, more days, better premises (3 or more rooms, coffee area), official plans/agenda available (maybe even a site - and some documentation of what happened etc.). Just off my head.

[kl99]

i will be coming from europe (austria) to chicago, staying from 2nd of november to 7th in best western university plaza.
hoping to meet some ti friends!

[matthew180]

sometimes99er, on Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:51 AM, said:

Hehe, no, not really. I was thinking more about some sightseeing in general (on my own, with family or with some TI friends). But also much more TI arranged stuff, like code corners, concurrent presentation sessions to choose from, time for questions/evaluation, more days, better premises (3 or more rooms, coffee area), official plans/agenda available (maybe even a site - and some documentation of what happened etc.). Just off my head.

Yeah, we talked about format after the Faire last year, and it stirs a lot of controversy and emotion. Hal runs the Faire the way he has been for the last 20 years, and he deserves a lot of credit for keeping it together. At this point though, there seems to be more "Faire" than "TI" in the event.

As for more days, rooms, talks, etc., to do that stuff you would have to: 1. charge people (which just may kill the whole thing), and 2. get more people to come (which I don't see happening since we are already an extremely small community, and divided too.)

Technically the Faire *is* three days... If you were to come and be around on Friday, then there will be TI stuff to do, at least this year there will be. Saturday is the main "event" at the library, and afterwards, personally, I'm planning on continuing the hacking sessions at the hotel. Sunday was typically the "everyone goes home" day, but if people wanted to continue with presentations, hacking, sessions, etc. then there is no reason not to do so.